Marion County Commissioners Meeting - August 19, 2025
Marion County Commissioners Meeting
The Marion County Board of Commissioners met on August 19, 2025, at 2:05 p.m. in Room 260 of the City-County Building. President Joseph O'Connor called the meeting to order with Commissioners Milo Eldridge (Auditor/Secretary) and Barbara Marins (Treasurer) present. The board approved minutes from July 15, 2025, received a scholarship presentation, and held a public hearing on the transfer of 43 surplus properties to the Department of Metropolitan Development.
Consent Calendar
- Meeting Minutes Approval: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the July 15, 2025 meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Scholarship Presentation: Cam DeMoreau (Deputy Legislative Director, Association of Indiana Counties) and Zach Hughes (SRI) awarded a scholarship to T.R. Gibson, a senior at Franklin High School. Gibson described community service activities including making blankets, volunteering at churches, singing in choirs, cleaning beaches in Gary and parks, and participating in parades. Gibson will attend Indiana State University to study nursing. Commissioners congratulated her.
Discussion Items
- Transfer of Surplus Properties (Resolution): Ryan (from the Department of Metropolitan Development, DMD) presented a request to transfer 43 county-owned properties (mostly single-family lots, some double lots) to DMD for redevelopment through the renewed "Vacant to Vibrant" land bank program. Ryan explained the program includes standard sale, affordable application (discounted for nonprofits), homestead application (20% discount for owner-occupants with a two-year occupancy requirement), and side lot applications for adjacent owners. The program timeline aims for 3–6 months from application to final disposition, with review by registered neighborhood groups, a DMD review committee, and the Metropolitan Development Commission. A design review for new construction is also required. Commissioner Eldridge asked about due diligence (title search, encroachment checks). Commissioner Marins inquired about Parcel #36 (7046490) listed as "Fisher Creek condominiums"; Ryan clarified it is a vacant lot with no condos built, and condominium owners have inquired but were ineligible for the side lot program. No public comments were offered.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous Approval: The board approved the resolution to transfer the 43 properties to DMD. A motion by Commissioner Marins was seconded and passed unanimously (voice vote).
- Next Meeting Scheduled: September 16, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Room 260 of the City-County Building.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, I'll go ahead and call the meeting to order. This is the Marion County Commissioners meeting. My name is Joseph O'Connor. I'm the president of the county commissioners. We're in room 260 of the city county building. It is August 19th, 2025, approximately 2 05 p.m. And I will start off with introductions from my colleagues on my left. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um everybody. I am Milo Eldridge. I serve as the Marion County Auditor and happy to serve as the secretary for the commissioners. Thank you. Good afternoon. I am Marion County Treasurer Barbara Marins, also a member of the Board of Commissioners of Marion County. Thank you. The first order of those will be to approve the meeting minutes from the July 15th, 2025 meeting. Do we have any additions or corrections? No additions or comments. I would move approval of the minutes. Second. Okay, we have a motion to approve and a second. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Pose, same sign. Minutes are approved. Has our guests arrived. Are we good? Are we getting meant to go ahead and change the order on the agenda? Oh, okay. That works best. Yeah. Sure. Sorry, I'm blanking downstairs that the information is identified. Oh, no worries. We just started, so well, good morning. Thank you all for allowing me to be here. And uh Cam DeMoreau with the Association of Indiana Counties, um, the deputy legislative director there. And this is Zach Hughes with SRI. And um, we've we have a scholarship program that we award four recipients of scholarship to high school seniors every year, and um one of those requirements is having a family member within the county, uh, employed with the county. Um and so T.R. Gibson here is a senior at Franklin High School and on her way to Indiana State, and she's been heavily involved within her community, whether it be helping with charity events and helping organize school organizations. So that's that's she's been a our winning recipient this year, and so we'd like to congratulate her with this check along with Zach Hughes and SRI. Awesome. Awesome. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. And so go ahead.
openpublica.com